In Tavara – Sinclair Estate, Morning
The soft morning light bathed the estate in golden hues, but inside the Sinclair boardroom, the air was tense.
Damien sat at the head of the table, a fresh scar running along his jaw. Nora, beside him, wore a crisp, high-collared suit that failed to hide the fatigue in her eyes. Across from them sat three individuals cloaked in expensive suits and tighter secrets—the Blackwells.
Lysandra Blackwell, matriarch of the powerful Blackwell conglomerate, sipped her tea with unnerving calm. Beside her, her son Ezekiel leaned forward, fingers steepled. The third, a younger woman with shrewd eyes and soft curls—Aveline Blackwell—watched Nora with subtle challenge in her gaze.
"You called this meeting, Damien," Lysandra said coolly. "I assume it's not just to flaunt your war wounds."
Damien didn't flinch. "I need to know why your family's cargo plane was in international airspace the same night the Covenant base was breached."
Ezekiel chuckled. "Still suspicious of us, I see."
"You've funded operations in sectors known to be compromised," Nora added, voice measured but firm. "Your name has surfaced in three transactions linked to covert biotech exports."
Lysandra set her cup down with a soft clink. "Careful, dear. Accusations without proof are a dangerous game."
Nora leaned in slightly. "So is ignoring a threat like Tyler."
Aveline's lips curled into a cold smile. "The man you failed to capture?"
Damien's eyes sharpened. "He didn't vanish on his own. Someone helped him."
The silence stretched, tension mounting like a storm.
Then Lysandra spoke. "Let's be clear—we have no allegiance to Tyler. But we do believe in progress. The world is shifting, Damien. Power isn't just about assets anymore—it's about biology, control, data. You should know that."
Damien sat back, folding his arms. "What are you offering?"
"A merger," Ezekiel said. "Blackwell Biotech and Sinclair Global under one umbrella. We absorb the chaos. You get influence. And we both profit."
"And Nora?" Damien asked, tone darkening.
Aveline smiled. "She'd have full access to our research facilities. Our scientists are eager to work under someone with her reputation."
Nora's jaw clenched. "So I become your lab queen while you dissect the world behind closed doors?"
"No," Lysandra said, her voice cool as a blade. "You become part of the future. The question is—will you do it with us, or against us?"
---
In Damien's Private Office – Later
The door slammed.
Damien paced like a caged animal. "They're playing a long game. If we refuse, they'll turn their influence against us. But if we accept…"
"They'll try to control every part of this operation," Nora said. She pulled off her heels, tossing them aside as she flopped into a chair. "Especially me."
He looked at her, pausing. "Would you ever consider it?"
Nora tilted her head. "Working with them?"
He nodded.
She exhaled. "I'd consider using them. That's different."
A small smile tugged at the corner of Damien's lips. "You're terrifying."
She grinned. "So are you."
He crossed to her and leaned down, brushing his knuckles along her jaw. "They're going to try and tear this apart—us, our company, everything."
"Then we stay ahead," she whispered. "We outplay them."
Their foreheads touched, breaths mingling in the soft quiet.
---
In an Unknown – Surveillance Room
A wall of monitors flickered. The feed showed Damien and Nora, unaware they were being watched.
In the shadows, a figure stepped forward—Tyler. A faint scar now marred his left cheek.
Behind him, a voice spoke. Female. Cold. Precise.
"They suspect the Blackwells."
"Good," Tyler said. "Keep them distracted. But increase surveillance on the Sinclair inner circle. Especially the doctor."
The woman stepped beside him. Her face came into the light—Aveline Blackwell.
"She won't see me coming," Aveline said with a smirk. "Not until it's too late."